Have you had a chance to catch ABC’s new daytime cooking and foodie lifestyle show, The Chew? Here in Colorado, it comes on at noon, so it’s become my lunch time date with Mario Batali and his co-hosts, Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, and Daphne Oz.

At times it’s a bit light and silly, but I do come away learning things I can use. Earlier this week, Michael made a Pantry Raid Recipe using couscous, pickled veggies and canned tuna. He used the vinegar from the veggies and the oil from the tuna as the vinaigrette. That was an aha moment for me as I’d drain both, then make a vinaigrette and add it back in. Duh on my part, smart on theirs!

Check out episodes and video clips on The Chew website.

Chew on some great tips and tricks

I also like their tips and tricks from making homemade bread crumbs to what the cost per serving is for each dish they make.

Plus, I was very appreciative that they discussed the recent listeria outbreak in cantaloupe and what you need to do to protect yourself. (If you have any cantaloupe in the house that you’re not sure where it’s from, throw it out! I’m currently recovering from listeria I got from contaminated Jensen Farms cantaloupe. After a week, I’m finally feeling better. It was not pleasant being sick, believe me!)

The best thing about The Chew is watching Mario cook. Here’s a recipe from his Italian Grill that I’m sure you’ll love. You can find more recipes from The Chew on their website.

Chicken Thighs with Pole Beans and Agliata

Recipe Courtesy of Mario Batali Italian Grill

Serves 6

These chicken thighs are coated with a garlicky bread crumb mixture and cooked slowly over the cooler part of the grill so you end up with juicy meat and toasted herbed crust (be sure to scoop up all of the delightful little clumps of flavorful crumbs from the grill and scatter them over the chicken). Start the thighs boned side down so that by the time you flip them over, the “presentation side” will have dried a bit and won’t stick to the grill. The beans are good with almost anything—in this particular pairing, the subtle flavor of the anchovy paste in the beans echoes the anchovies in the bread crumb coating.

Ingredients:

• 12 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 salt-packed anchovies, filleted, rinsed, and patted dry, or 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 shallots, sliced ¼ inch thick
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1 pound snap peas, blanched in boiling water just until bright green, chilled in an ice bath, and drained
• Olio Piccante for drizzling (see below for recipe)

Directions:

1. Combine the garlic, ½ cup of the oil, the anchovies, parsley, and bread crumbs in a food processor and zap until smoothish.
   Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture, turning to coat well. Arrange in a single layer on a platter and put in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
2. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for indirect grilling.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining ¼ cup oil in a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and anchovy paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring regularly, until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the beans to a platter and set aside.
4. Place the chicken thighs skinned side up on the cooler part of the grill, cover the grill, and grill, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes per side.
5. Arrange the thighs on top of the beans and serve with a drizzle of olio piccante.

Olio Piccante

Recipe from Molto Italiano

Ingredients:

• 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 jalapenos, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sweet Pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the oil, jalapenos, red pepper flakes, and pimenton and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 175° F. Remove from the heat, and allow to stand overnight.
2. Strain out the solids from the oil. The oil will keep for 3 weeks in a cool, dark place.

The Chew and Mario Batali’s Chicken Thighs with Pole Beans and Agliata is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

True mom confession time – I’m very lax at getting my kids to read during the summer. Or should I say getting my son Nathan to read. He has begrudgingly trudged his way through every book he’s ever touched from Hop on Pop to Harry Potter. Luckily, my daughter, Lucie, loves to read even though I limit the amount of books she can take out of the library. Truly, no one needs to check out 20 Magic Rainbow Fairy books at a time.

During the summer, all parents need to make an effort to get their kids to chill with a book. According to Carol H. Rasco, president and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit, “Motivating children to read throughout the summer is essential to building lifelong readers. And reading is the doorway to all other learning.”

With that in mind, how do you convince your kids to build reading time into their summer plans? Fortunately, RIF has come up with a number of ideas to help you make this summer a season of reading including partnering with Scholastic’s Summer Challenge.

Cooking up some green eggs and ham

I suggest combining cooking activities with books. For example, you can read Dr. Suess’ Green Eggs and Ham and make the dish with your kids. Sure you can put some food dye in scrambled eggs and serve it up with a slice of deli meat. But why not try something a little more sophisticated from Top Chef Master’s Jody Adams? (Tips for making the dish healthier and more kid friendly are at the bottom of the post.)

Roasted asparagus with green eggs and ham

By Chef Jody Adams of the RIALTO restaurant in Cambridge, Massacheusetts

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 extra large eggs
• 1 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves
• ¼ cup roughly chopped celery leaves
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped tarragon
• ¼ cup chopped capers
• 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and roughly chopped
• Zest of ½ lemon
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ celery stalks, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch dice
• 1 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
• 1 pound asparagus
• 8 slices prosciutto
• 1 cup of small leaf lettuces such as arugula or mache

Directions:

1. Put the eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Set the saucepan on the stove over high heat. Bring the water to a boil, and then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Peel under running water and coarsely chop. The yolks should be bright yellow and creamy.
2. Combine the parsley, celery leaves, tarragon, capers, anchovies and lemon zest in the robot coupe with ½ cup extra virgin olive oil. Process to a rough paste. It should not be a smooth puree. Transfer to a bowl with the celery and garlic, season with salt and mix until well combined. Mix in the rest of the oil if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the eggs.
3. Preheat oven to 400°.
4. If the asparagus are large, snap off the fibrous portion off the root end of the stems. Peel the remaining part of the stem. If the asparagus are pencil thin, simply snap the ends.
5. Toss the asparagus with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast in the oven, 4-5 minutes, or until the asparagus are tender and start to brown.
6. To serve, arrange 2 slices of prosciutto on each of 4 plates. Lay the asparagus on top. Spoon the green eggs over the asparagus. Garnish with argula or mache.

Nutritional information per serving:

• Calories 503
• Calories from Fat 423
• Total Fat 47.0g
• Saturated Fat 7.6g
• Cholesterol 203mg
• Sodium 755mg
• Total Carbohydrates 7.9g
• Dietary Fiber 3.6g
• Sugars 3.2g
• Protein 15.5g
• Vitamin A 50%
• Vitamin C 47%
• Calcium 10%
• Iron 29%

Nutrition Grade B+ from CalorieCount 

Weight Watchers POINTS = 13

Tips for making green eggs and ham cheaper, healthier and more kid friendly

• Instead of hard boiling 4 eggs, hard boil 8, throw out the yolks and only use the egg whites.
• Omit the anchovies. They add a lot of sodium and many adults and children don’t care for them.
• Some people also don’t like capers, but I’ve found that kids think they’re kind of neat.
• If you’re leaving out the capers and anchovies, add a little more parsley and celery leaves to the paste and add a smidge more salt if needed.
• Instead of pricey prosciutto, use some lean ham slices. I suggest using Applegate Farms Organic & Natural Meats. I’ve been able to find it at Super Target and King Soopers (Krogers). It’s the only deli meat we use.
• Use less olive oil. Still use 1/2 cup in the paste, but you don’t need any to saute the asparagus. Instead, use a little cooking spray.

Revised nutritional info

(8 egg whites, 1/2 cup of olive oil, no anchovies, and lean ham)

• Calories 367
• Calories from Fat 261
• Total Fat 29.0g
• Saturated Fat 4.2g
• Trans Fat 0.0g
• Cholesterol 25mg
• Sodium 982mg
• Total Carbohydrates 8.0g
• Dietary Fiber 3.6g
• Sugars 3.3g
• Protein 21.3g
• Vitamin A 46%
• Vitamin C 47%
• Calcium 7%
• Iron 24%

Nutrition Grade B+ from CalorieCount 

Weight Watchers POINTS = 9

More healthy cooking with kids activities and recipes

Get the kids in the kitchen! Children's cookbook roundup

Healthy cooking with Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

Summer reading and cooking activities with Top Chef Jody Adams’ Green Eggs and Ham is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I was sad to see Chef Jody Adams lose in episode 6 of this season’s Top Chef Masters. My family was rooting for her, but obviously goat is not her forte.

The health benefits of pistachios

Jody is back of Rialto in Cambridge, Massachusetts doing what she does best – using seasonal, local ingredients in regional Italian cuisine, like her unique take on pesto. Instead of using pine nuts, she uses pistachios and adds a bit of crunch with celery. This would be an amazing pesto to use on whole week noodles or on bruschetta.

According to PistachioHealth.com, pistachios are an especially rich source of vitamin B6 and the other B vitamins and high in fiber. They also contain a significant amount of antioxidants like lutien and zeaxanthin, which help reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in adults over 65.

Pistachios are also great source of copper, manganese, and phosphorus, which help build strong, healthy bones. Plus, they contain potassium and magnesium, which is good for regulating heart rate and blood pressure.

Pistachio-Celery Pesto

By Jody Adams/Rialto

Makes 1 heaping cup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups lightly packed coarsely chopped basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons garlic grated with a fine microplane
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped pistachios, toasted
• Zest of ½ lemon
• ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons celery, stalks peeled and chopped into1/8 inch dice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put the basil and celery leaves in a food processor. With the motor running, add the oil in a thin steady stream and process until the leaves are finely chopped, about 1 minute.
2. Add the garlic, nuts and lemon zest and process for another 20 seconds or until the nuts are finely chopped, but not a paste. If you process too long, the machine will heat up the pesto, cook the basil and cause it to discolor.
3. Transfer the pesto to a bowl. Stir in the cheese and celery. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Nutritional information for 1 tablespoon of pesto:

• Calories 110
• Calories from Fat 104
• Total Fat 11.5g
• Saturated Fat 1.8g
• Cholesterol 1mg
• Sodium 38mg
• Total Carbohydrates 1.1g
• Protein 1.2g

Nutrition Grade C- from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 3 (Believe me, a little goes a long way, especially on pasta!)

Top Chef Masters’ Jody Adam’s Pistachio-Celery Pesto is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I'm off to Camp Blogaway in the mountains east of Los Angeles to hang out with my fellow food bloggers and work on my food writing and photography. As my husband said, it’s my type of camping – heating cabins, eating s’mores, getting massages, and talking social media over a few glasses of Mad Housewife wine.

I won’t have time to do more in the area except go through a In-N-Out Burger drive thru with my carpool gals, Vanessa of ChefDruck Musings and Melissa of Stockpiling Moms. If there is one thing I miss about living in Southern California is the Mexican food. That’s why I’m excited to watch Bravo’s new web series, Perfectly Delish: the pursuit of the most scrumptious foodie treats in L.A., hosted by Top Chef’s Betty Fraser.

In the premier webisode below, Betty is on the hunt for the perfect fish taco. She stops at Mary Sue Milliken's and Susan Feniger's Border Grill in Santa Monica. (You may recognize Mary Sue and Susan from Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales show.)

I was really intrigued that they used a piece of grapefruit in their tacos along with a juice made from limes, oranges and grapefruits. I’m going to have to try that! They also use sustainable fish like mahi mahi, halibut or tilapia and grill, not deep fry it.

Healthy taco recipes

I hope the show inspires you to make your own healthy tacos at home. Here is some inspiration for you:

• Carne asada and fish tacos
• Staying slim on Cinco de Mayo (crab and shrimp tacos)
• Mother's Day dishes: Sautéed Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos with Mango and Pineapple Salsa and Spicy Black Beans

Perfectly Delish: on the hunt for the perfect fish taco in Los Angeles is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

When you present a child with a fancy meal, you know they’ll probably like it. However, the fine dining experience will most likely go over their head. That’s how I feel about the Fantastic Mr. Fox, a beautiful, family film based on the story by Roald Dahl that was recently released on DVD and Blu-ray.

At times the movie reminded me of Ocean’s 11 and the Usual Suspects with a little Sopranos and Glengarry Glen Ross thrown in, but without the bad language of course. (Mr. Fox says “cuss” instead of using a cuss word.)

The movie is rated PG and there is some violence when the farmers try to kill the animals and Mr. Fox gets his tail cut off. Also, Mrs. Fox is referred to as the town tart (before she got married) which may need some explaining to curious youngsters.

(BarnesandNobles.com has terrific DVD “What Parents Need to Know” guides thanks to Common Sense Media.)

My children enjoyed it, especially my 10-year-old son who didn’t move off the bed once while watching it in my room. However, only an adult could truly appreciate the wonderful stop action photography, the dialogue, and miniature sets. (George Clooney’s voice as Mr. Fox was very nice, too. Sigh.) It bears repeat watching to take in all the details.

Mr. Fox gets foodie

So why am I reviewing Fantastic Mr. Fox on a food blog? After all, it’s not a food related kid’s movie like Ratatouille or even Princess and the Frog. And no, it’s not because Meryl Streep’s in it (she’s the voice of Mrs. Fox) though after seeing Julie & Julia, her name is always joined with Julia Child’s in my mind.

After doing a little research about the movie, thanks to Opening Ceremony I found out that Mario Batali does the voice of Rabbit and provides inspiration for the character down to his orange Crocs!

(Mario’s looking pretty good these days. I was worried about how large he was getting when I saw him cooking on Iron Chef last season. According to Diets In Review, he’s lost 45 pounds mostly from portion control. If you’ve read Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany, you know that the man can seriously put away the food and is known to drink wine by the case.)

Well, last Thanksgiving, Mario’s PR people sent out a cute little package of recipes to various bloggers. I didn’t get one but PR Mama, Stephanie Smirnov did and shares the PDF here. This classic Brussels sprouts recipe caught my eye.

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Recipe courtesy of the Babbo Cookbook

Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
• 1/2 pound pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
2. Set up an ice bath nearby.
3. Cook the whole Brussels sprouts in the boiling water for 2 minutes, then
   drain and plunge into the ice bath.
4. Once they have cooled, drain the sprouts, trim off the tough ends, and cut in half lengthwise.
5. In a 12- to 14-inch saute pan, heat the pancetta over low heat until most of the fat has been rendered and the cubes are crispy, 8-10 minutes.
6. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.
7. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan
   and cook over medium heat until tender, 6-7 minutes.
8. Return the pancetta to the pan and add the thyme, parsley, and salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Tips:

• If you cannot find pancetta, substitute with a lean bacon or ham.
• To reduce calories and fat, reduce the amount of pancetta by half.
• Cook up the sprouts in a little bit of bacon grease and olive oil to get the flavor of this recipe, but not the fat and calories.

_____________________
Disclosure: All links to Barnes & Nobles are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their website.I received a review copy (not a retail copy) of the movie from Click Communications.

Mario Batali cooks for the Fantastic Mr. Fox is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Stopping by my local Barnes & Nobles, I saw the new issue of Guitar Aficionado magazine with Jeff Bridges on the cover. I was surprised to see was that the magazine also featured an article on celebrity chef —and vintage guitar lover — Rocco DiSpirito.

It’s Gene Simmons’ fault that Rocco started cooking

As a child growing up in Queens in the Seventies, “I was big-time into KISS,” DiSpirito says. “Their album Love Gun came out when I was around 11 years old, and I had to have it. I asked my mom for the money to buy it, and she said to me — he assumes a thick Italian accent — ’You want the money? You go get a job.’”

He laughs. “I didn’t even know I could get a job at that age.” The job he landed, behind the counter of a local pizza spot, changed his life. “I made 50 cents an hour,” he says, “and fell in love with the business. The idea that, just by cutting a slice of pizza, pouring a fountain soda, smiling a little, I could make someone’s day a little better, totally hooked me.” From there, DiSpirito set off on a path that would lead him, at just 16, to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America.

Rocco cooks for Bruce Springsteen

Several years ago, DiSpirito’s attendance at a New York–area Springsteen concert led serendipitously to a reversal of the roles of performer and spectator and the cooking gig of a lifetime. A friend of Rocco’s, who also serves as the musician’s personal chef, asked if he’d help put together the post-show meal. DiSpirito jumped at the opportunity and later that evening found himself ensconced in the kitchen of Springsteen’s New Jersey home, the Boss sitting and observing nearby.

DiSpirito laughs, recalling a scene that was far from his finest cooking moment. “When I’m nervous, I usually do one of two things: spill something or cut my finger open. That night, I did both. I remember Bruce coming over to my side of the kitchen and watching me mop up chicken stock that I spilled all over his floor. It was ridiculous. But,” he adds, “Bruce couldn’t have been more appreciative. And he’s really interested in food. He likes big flavor, and he’s very into healthy cooking, which I love.”

Can’t get enough of Rocco? Check out in Bertolli’s Into the Heart of Italy

_______________

Article excerpt used with permission from Guitar Aficionado. Photograph by Jonathan Pushnik.

Rocco DiSpirito rocks out with Guitar Aficionado is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Have you been watching Jaime Oliver’s Food Revolution on ABC? (I’ve been watching it online.) I love that Jaime has come to the US to show Americans how to cook. It’s a skill so many people lack and is partially to blame for so many people relying on fast food and processed food products.

Jaime is also working to improve school food. He says that he’s been to the townships in South Africa where poor kids eat better than our kids do in the US.

If you agree, you may want to sign his petition that states:

I support Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. America's kids need better food at school and better health prospects. We need to keep cooking skills alive.

Jamie plans to take his petition to the White House after the TV series airs, to show the President and First Lady how many people across the country really care about eating more healthfully at home and at school.

As they say in the UK, brilliant!

Food Revolution recipes

Since Jamie’s Food Revolution is about creating convenient and healthy meals at home, here are two of his super easy, healthy “Jam Jar” salad dressings that will encourage you and your family to eat more salad and veggies.

French dressing

1. Peel and finely chop ¼ of a clove of garlic.
2. Put the garlic, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of white or red wine vinegar, and 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a jam jar with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Put the lid on the jar and shake well

Yogurt dressing

1. Put 1/3 cup of plain yogurt (low or no fat), 2 tablespoons of white or red wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into a jam jar with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2. Put the lid on the jar and shake well

Parmesan Chicken Breasts with Crispy Posh Ham

In Jamie’s Food Revolution he writes, “This is a great way to prepare chicken breasts since the texture of the crisp cooked prosciutto goes brilliantly with the tender chicken. Bashing the chicken out thinly before you start cooking means it cooks much faster than a regular chicken breast. If you can’t get hold of prosciutto, then any kind of thin ham, such as Parma ham, or even smoked streaky bacon will work just as well.”

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets, preferably free-range or organic
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon
• 1 ¼ ounces grated Parmesan
• 6 slices of prosciutto
• Olive oil

To prepare your chicken:

1. Grate your Parmesan.
2. Pick the thyme leaves off the stalks.
3. Carefully score the underside of the chicken breasts in a criss-cross fashion with a small knife.
4. Season with a little pepper (you don’t need salt as the prosciutto is quite salty).
5. Lay your breasts next to each other and sprinkle over most of the thyme leaves.
6. Grate a little lemon zest over them and sprinkle with Parmesan.
7. Lay 3 prosciutto slices on each chicken breast overlapping them slightly.
8. Drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining thyme leaves.
9. Put a square of plastic wrap over each breast and give them a few really good bashes with the bottom of a saucepan until they are about ½ inch thick.

To cook your chicken:

1. Put a frying pan over a medium heat.
2. Remove the plastic wrap and carefully transfer the chicken breasts, prosciutto side down, into the pan.
3. Drizzle over some olive oil.
4. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, turning halfway through giving the ham side an extra 30 seconds to crisp up.

To serve your chicken:

1. Either serve the chicken breasts whole or cut them into thick slices and pile them on a place.
2. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over and a good drizzle of olive oil.

Al the recipes from Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals (Hyperion; October 2009)

Nutritional informational per serving

• Calories 385
• Calories from Fat 164
• Total Fat 18.2g
• Saturated Fat 5.9g
• Cholesterol 135mg
• Sodium 867mg
• Total Carbohydrates 1.4g
• Protein 50.9g

Nutrition Grade B- from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 9

Tips:

• Adding salad or steamed veggies on the side will improve the nutritional grade.
• To reduce POINTS, halve the portion. Or don’t eat the prosciutto and use it just to flavor the chicken.

_____________________
Disclosure: All links to Barnes & Nobles are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their website.

Viva la food revolution! Jamie Oliver gets Americans in the kitchen is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Our first dish for Mother’s Day comes from the new Lifetime Television show, Cook Yourself Thin, that premiered today. (Read my review of the premier episode of Cook Yourself Thin.)

Cook Yourself Thin teaches viewers how to take their favorite indulgent meals and turn them into something healthy by cutting the calories and doubling the flavor. The companion cookbook, Cook Yourself Thin: Skinny Meals You Can Make in Minutes would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift for any mom trying to eat healthier let alone those trying to drop some weight. The cookbook includes all of the recipes featured on the show as well as a calorie guide, a list of calorie offenders, skinny alternatives to your favorite meals, a food personality quiz and more.

My only complaint with the cookbook is that it only lists calories, not fat, fiber, sodium, etc. If you’re doing the Weight Watchers Momentum plan, you’d need to calculate each ingredient’s POINTS, then add them all up and divide by the number of servings to get your POINTS per serving info.

Mother’s Day Meal – a Mexican seafood feast

If the mom in your life loves shrimp (low in Weight Watchers POINTS and calories) why not try this dish from Cook Yourself Thin: Skinny Meals You Can Make in Minutes.

Sautéed Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos with Mango and Pineapple Salsa and Spicy Black Beans
Serves 4

For the shrimp tacos:

• 2 – 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 lb medium shrimp, deveined
• 3 Tbsp high-quality tequila
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp dried chipotle powder
• 2 – 3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 4 whole wheat tortillas

For the mango and pineapple salsa:

• 1 large, ripe mango, chopped
• ¼ cup red onions, chopped
• ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 8-oz can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
• 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 – 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• Salt, to taste

For the spicy black beans:

• 2 Tbsp onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 14-oz can black beans
• 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. To make the shrimp tacos: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the cumin and red pepper flakes and let the flavors blend together. Add the shrimp and toss. Carefully add the tequila and flambé. Season with salt and add the dried chipotle powder. Once shrimp are cooked, add the chopped cilantro and toss.

2. In a separate nonstick skillet over low heat, heat a whole wheat tortilla until pliable, about 2 minutes on each side.

3. Place one tortilla per person and serve three shrimp in each taco.

4. To make the spicy black beans: In a saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped onion, and chopped garlic clove. Sweat the onions for about 2 minutes. Add the cumin and the black beans. Stir and add the red pepper flakes. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

5. To make the mango and pineapple salsa: Peel the mango and chop into small dice and place in a bowl. Chop the yellow and red bell peppers and add to the bowl with the mango. Add the drained pineapple tidbits and chopped red onion and toss together. Squeeze some lime juice over and toss. Add the chopped cilantro, salt to taste, and toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional information:

• Calories per serving, shrimp tacos: 413
• Calories per serving, mango and pineapple salsa: 76
• Calories per serving, spicy black beans: 110

Weight Watchers POINTS per serving = 6

• Salsa = 0 POINTS
• 1 medium whole wheat tortilla = 1 POINT
• Shrimp (2 oz. cooked) = 1 POINT
• 1/2 cup canned black beans = 1 POINT

If you made a meal with 1 whole wheat tortilla, 4 ounces of shrimp, 1 cup of black beans, and some salsa, that would be 5 POINTS. Add another point for the olive oil used to cook up the shrimp, and I estimate the Weight Watchers POINTS to be around 6 per serving. Not bad.

Mother’s Day dishes: Sautéed Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos with Mango and Pineapple Salsa and Spicy Black Beans is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I’m not one for chain restaurants, preferring local mom and pop joints. So I was reluctant to endorse anything the Olive Garden has to offer. However, their website is A-O.K. with me. Now you can watch cooking demonstrations of some of Olive Garden’s more popular dishes, like their Tuscan Garlic Chicken, Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto, and Braised Short Ribs.

Olive Garden’s Chief Executive Chef Paolo Lafata is fun to watch. He’s kinda cute in a hobbit sort of way and I love his accent, too. The production values are very nice and it’s a unique way to reach out to their customers. Check it out!

Olive Garden’s Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto At-Home Recipe
Serves Six

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup white onion, diced
• 2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ pound fresh asparagus spears, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 18 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• ½ cup butter
• 1½ cups Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large pot or saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer and leave on low heat until needed.
2. In a separate, large nonstick pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the onions and cook for approximately three minutes. Once the onions are translucent, add the rice, stir to coat thoroughly and cook for one minute. Next, add the white wine and stir until completely absorbed.
4. Slowly add ½ cup of broth to the risotto and stir until completely absorbed. Repeat this step until 4 cups of broth have been added.
5. Continue to stir the risotto frequently to avoid sticking.
6. While the risotto is cooking, add the asparagus and shrimp to the remaining broth and cook for approximately two minutes or until the shrimp are pink in color.
7. When finished, remove the asparagus and shrimp from the broth and add them to the pot with risotto.
8. Continue to add ½ cup of broth at a time until desired creaminess is reached.
9. Once the broth is absorbed, add butter, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and parsley to complete.

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Cooking online with the Olive Garden is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

These days it's rare that I get a chance to watch Food Network. But I had a chance to check out some of the shows today with some wonderful recipes for Easter. (For more Easter ideas from Food Network, click here.)

First on Everyday Italian, there were two fantastic and easy recipes for lentil soup and lamb chops. The lentil soup can be made anytime, though traditionally in Italy it's made for New Year's. And with lamb being cheap for Easter, stock up!

Lentil Soup Recipe

Courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Recipe Summary -
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1. 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2. 1 medium onion, chopped
3. 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4. 2 celery stalks, chopped
5. 2 garlic cloves, chopped
6. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
7. 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
8. 1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
9. 11 cups low-salt chicken broth
10. 4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
11. 2/3 cup dried elbow pasta
12. 1 cup shredded Parmesan

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
3. Add the lentils and mix to coat.
4. Add the broth and stir.
5. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat.
6. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.
7. Stir in the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Grilled Lamb Chops

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Recipe Summary -
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1. 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
2. 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
3. 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
4. Pinch cayenne pepper
5. Coarse sea salt
6. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7. 6 lamb chops, about 3/4-inch thick

Preparation:

1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, and salt. Pulse until combined.
2. Pour in olive oil and pulse into a paste.
3. Rub the paste on both sides of the lamb chops and let them marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
4. Remove from refrigerator and allow the chops to come to room temperature; it will take about 20 minutes.
5. Heat a grill pan over high heat until almost smoking, add the chops and sear for about 2 minutes.
6. Flip the chops over and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare and 3 1/2 minutes for medium.

What’s cooking for Easter? is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!